Shuttle box front for looms



Jan. 27, 1953 -w. BURCHA M 2,526,636

SHUTTLE BOX FRONT FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 19, 1949 2 SHEETS -SI-IEET 1 WALTER E. BumnA 5a INVENTOR.

6 v 4 s Li w a BY 6 ATT RNEY Jan. 27 1953 w. E. BLJRCHAM 2,626,636

SHUTTLE BOX FRONT FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 19, 1949 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 20 l5 7 q m /4 9 1' I27 /Z6 ,4, I4 [/25 13/ 732 WALTER E. BuRcHAM, 3mm:

Patented Jan. 27, 1 953 UNITE-o STATE 5 PATENT OFFICE a SHUTTLE BOX FRONT FOR LOOMS y Walter E. Burcham, Elkin, N. 0. Application December 19, 1949, Serial No. 133,793

This invention relates to shuttle boxes and more especially to a shuttle box front for the shuttle boxes of looms of the filling replenishingtype. M v

e The most prevalent reason for the breakage of weft yarns in weaving ona loom is due to the fact that immediately after a shuttle is boxed in ashuttlebox and follo-wingthe departure of a shuttle from the shuttle box, the tension in the outgoing yarn from the shuttle is momentarily relaxed between the adjacent selvage of the woven material and the shuttle eye as the shuttlemoves out of the shuttle box. 7 This relaxing of the tension of the weft yarn permits the weft yarn to fall downwardly,iby'gravity, intermediate its points of suspension thus resulting in the filling or weft yarn being caught betweenthe shuttle and the front wall of the box and thus becoming broken for knotted. Also, in the event of a transfer operation taking place, the old or spent filling may also be. caught betweenrthe shuttle and the front wall of the shuttle box and subsequently carried into the shed of the woven material. v t 1 o It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a shuttle boxfront having a longitudinally extending slot, therein which is open at the inner end thereof, orat its end nearest the se1- vage of the material being woven, and to provide a groove in the shuttlefbox front below the longitudinally extending slot. which groove extends all the way to the bottom of the shuttle box front, the longitudinally extending slot serving to provide means for removing' a spent filling from the shuttle box and the longitudinally extending groove below the slot serving to provide a recess between the proximate. faces of the shuttle and shuttlebox front so that upon the tension in the weft yarn being relaxed, theweft yarn may fall, by gravity, into engagement with the upper surface of the lay but will not be caught between the-shuttle and the proximate wall of the box front as the shuttle is thrown out of the shuttle box.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shuttle box front having a longitudinally extending slot thereinwhich terminates a substantial distance short of the outer end of the shuttle box front but extends all the way to the inner end of the shuttle box front thus providing an upper and a lower longitudinally extending portion.. The lower longitudinally extending portion has a tapering projectionon the inner end thereof for directing theyarn upwardly as it is withdrawn through the longitudinally extending slot 5 Claims. (01. 139-183) '2 between the upper and lower portions and this projection also serves as a hunter for intercepting a shuttle which may be thrown out of the shed formedby the warp yarns as the shuttle moves toward this particular shuttle box.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shuttle box front of the type having a longitudinally extending slot therein, with an improved liner adapted to be secured to the rear face of the shuttle box front and the lower portion of which is'cut away so as to form a recess extending longitudinally for substantially the entire length of the shuttle box front to thus provide a recess formed by this cut away portion of the liner for the shuttle box front whereby, upon a shuttle being boxed and upon the shuttle again being thrown out of the shuttle box, the'yarn may fall between its points of suspension, by gravity, against the upper surface of thelay and between the shuttle and the shuttle. boxfront to thus prevent the yarn from being caught between the shuttle and the shuttle box front as movement of the shuttle out of the shuttle box is being effected.

-Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when'taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is atop plan view of a shuttle box of a type adapted to be associated with the usual filling replenishing means of a loom and showing the improved shuttle box front in association therewith; I

Figure 2 is 'a fragmentary front elevation of the improved bo-x front showing the same in association with, a portion of the shuttle box, other parts of the shuttle box and the loom being omitted for purposes of clarity; V

Figure 3 is an isometric View of the improved box front removed from the loom and showing the front, top and outer end of the box front;

Figure 4 is another isometric view of the improved box'front'but showing the same as though turned over on its side and showing the rear surface which is engageable by the shuttle and also showing the bottom and outer end thereof;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view takeznsubstantially"along the line 5-'-5 in Figure t Figure 6- is-an-enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 in Fig- Figure 7 is a top plan view of a shuttle box similar to Figure 1 but showing a modified form oftgnprovedshuttle box front associated there- W1}.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary front elevation of the shuttle box front shown in Figure '7 but omitting various parts of the shuttle box which are not pertinent to the present invention;

Figure 9 is an enlarged isometric view of the modified form of improved box front removed from the loom and with a portion thereof broken away and showing the inside sur ace of the box front;

Figure 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line iii-48 in Figure 8.

Referring more specifically to drawings, the numeral It! indicates an oscillatable lay of a loom which is supported on the usual swords, not shown, and on the lay it there is shown a shuttle box broadly designated at i I. The shuttle box I i comprises a bottom plate i2 which is connected to a race plate 53 of the lay it in a conventional manner and on which a conventional back binder 53a is mounted. The upper end of conventional picker stick it having a picker I5 thereon is shown in Figure l and this picker I5 is adapted to intermittently engage a shuttle I6, having a bobbin I'! mounted therein, in the usual manner. Weft or filling yarn 223 is withdrawn from the bobbin IT and passes through a suitable shuttle eye indicated at 2! (Figure l) and then extends to the selvage of a woven material, not shown, being woven on the loom.

The structure heretofore described is a usual part of looms of this type and the usual type of shuttle box front is not shown in the present drawings, the present drawings showing an illproved box front broadly designated at 25. This shuttle box front is secured to the upper surface of the bottom plate of the shuttle box I I, as by screws 26 and 21, the improved shuttle box front 25 having enlarged end portions 38 and each provided with a forwardly and rearwardly extending adjustment slot 32 which are loosely penetrated by the screws 25 and 2'! for securing the improved shuttle box front 25 to the upper surface of the bottom plate 12 of the shuttle box II.

The shuttle box front 25 has a suitable opening 33 therethrough which is provided for reception of the usual type of thread cutter such as is shown in U. S. Patent No. 2,028,560 of January 21, 1936. The shuttle I6 is also provided with an opening 33d for reception of cutter and clamp means, not shown. The shuttle box front 25 has a longitudinally extending slot 34 therein closed at its end nearest the outer end of the lay and being open at its inner end and communicating at its outer end with the opening 33, the lower wall of the slot 34 being defined by a lower longitudinally extending planar portion 3 5 and the upper wall being defined by a flange portion 31 integral with and projecting downwardly from an upper longitudinally extending planar portion 46. The upper surface of the upper longitudinally extending planar portion 4% has a forwardly projecting thread catcher 4! which is not a part of the present invention but is conveniently provided and which will engage the new filling end as the lay moves forwardly after the first pick movement following a bobbin transfer operation.

It will be noted that the lower wall of the slot 34 and the opening 33 extend in the same horizontal plane while the upper Walls thereof are off-set relative to each other. The inner, end of the flange portion 3'! curves forwardly to form a shuttle guiding projection 38 which is provided to 4 guide a shuttle which may have been thrown out of its normal path across the lay.

The rear surface of the lower longitudinally extending planar portion of the shuttle box front 25 has a V-shaped cavity 42 therein, for purposes to be presently described, and is also provided with an enlarged reinforcing portion 43 disposed forwardly of the cavity 42 so as to prevent breakage of the lower planar portion 36 at this point. A suitable liner 45, preferably of leather, is secured to the inner portion of the improved shuttle box front 25 and to the outer end thereof as by a screw 44. This liner 45 has a longitudinally extending upper portion 48 the lower surface of which is cut to substantially the same configuration as the lower surface of the flange portion inegral with the upper planar portion 40 but is beveled inwardly and upwardly, as at 41, at the lower edge thereof. This upper portion of the liner 45 curves around the inner end of the flange 34 of the upper planar portion 40 and is secured to the innermost end thereof, as by a screw 50. The liner 45 has a lower longitudinally extending portion 5| which is relatively shorter than the upper portion 46 and the free end of which enters the cavity 42 and is secured therein as by a screw 53.

It is preferable that the shuttle I6 be provided with a smooth front wall 55 becausev the usual shuttle groove through which the yarn 20 would normally pass is not required in combination with the present structure since the longitudinallyextending groove 34 between the. upper and lower planar portions 40 and 36. of the improved box front 25 is disposed at a lower plane than the usual types of grooved shuttle box fronts and, the beveled lower edge 41- of theportion 46 tends to lead the yarn 20 from the shuttle eye 21. downwardly, upon the shuttle I6 being thrown out of the shuttle box II, from the point at which the yarn 20 extends across the opening. 33, in the shuttle box front 25.

It will be observed that the lower planarportion 36 of the shuttle box front 25 has a, thread guiding projection 60 thereon projecting upwardly therefrom and which partially closes the inner end of the longitudinally extending groove 34. This thread guiding projection 60 has an inclined rear surface 6| which is adapted to. be engaged by the spent filling of an ejected bobbin upon a new bobbin being transferred to, the shuttle It, Upon movement of the lay I0 away from the beat-up point of'the. woven material the spent filling will slide upwardly against the inclined surface 6| and will ultimately fall, by gravity, forwardly of the front surface of the thread guiding projection 60. thus preventing this length of spent fillingfrom being pulled back into the shuttle box inadvertently.

Modified form of box front.

The shuttle box shown in Figures 7-and- 8- is identical to the shuttle box shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the exception of the modified form of shuttle box front shown in; Figures '7- and8' and, therefore, the same reference characters will apply to the shuttle-box shown in Figures' (and 8 and also to the shuttleand the bob-bin shown in Figures 1 and 2 The shuttle'box; front in Figures 7 to 10, inclusive, isbroad-ly designatedat I25 and is secured to the bottomplate l'l of theshuttle box II, asby screws I28 and I21, there being enlargedend portions I30 and I 31 each 'of whichis provided Witha slot I32 whichareloosel-y pene} trated bythe screws I26 and I2! for securing the modified form of shuttleboxfrontl25 to the upper surface'iof'the bottom plate I2 of theshuttle' boxIIm" 1' Asin the original form of the invention, the modified shuttle box front I25 is provided with an opening I33 which'is adapted to be penetrated by the nowwell known cutter and clamp for parting the filling adjacent the shuttle eye and clamping it for outward movement b'ythecutter and clamp as the latter moves forwardly. The shuttle I6 is also provided with the opening 33d, as in the original form of the invention, for reception of the cutter and clamp means not shown; The shuttle box front I25 has a longitudinally extending'groove I34 therein which communicates with the opening I33 and the lower wall of whichis defined by a lower longitudinally extending planar portion I36, the upper'wall of the slot -I34 being' definedby the lower edge of a flangedportion I31 of an upper longitudinally extending planar portion I40; This upper planar portion I46 is also provided with the usual type of thread catcher I4I' which is identical to the thread catcher 4| shown in the original form of the invention. V p

The inner end of the upper longitudinally extended portion I40 of the modified form of shuttle box front I25 terminates a substantial distance short of the inner end of the lower longitudinally extending portion 136. The flanged portion I31 has an enlarged inner end portion I42 integral therewith the outer surface of which is disposed in the vertical plane and slightly rearwardly of the front edge of the upper planar portion I46 so as to'provide a notch I43 for reception of the free end of a longitudinally extended upperportion I45 of a friction liner I46 which is preferably made of a leather material. The free end of the longitudinally extended upper portion I45 of the liner I46 is secured-as by a screw I50, to the front face of the notch I43 in the longitudinally extended portion I45'and is then folded back upon the inner surface :of the. fiangel3l .on the upper planar portion I46. The lower'edgeof the longitudinally extended portion of the liner I46 conforms to the configuration of the lower edge of the fiange portion I31. However, its lower surface iscut at'an angle, as at I41, in Figure and the lower-surface of the longitudinallyextended portion; I 45 of the liner I46 is, also cut away to conform to the'opening' I 33.- The liner I46 has a relatively wide portion I5I which is of the same vertical height as the box front I and is secured, as by a screw I52, to the end of the box front I25 remote from the center of the lay.

The lower planar portion I36 of the modified form of box front I25 extends a substantial distance inwardly beyond the upper planar portion I and has an upwardly extending shuttle guiding projection I66 integral therewith which is provided with a tapering surface I6I which merges into the upper surface of the lower planar portion I36. The shuttle guiding projection I66 on the modified shuttle box front I25 serves the purpose of both projections 38 and 60 on the original form of box front 25 shown in Figures 1 to 6, the tapering surface I6I being provided for the same purpose that the tapering surface BI is provided in the original form of the invention shown in Figure 6.

It will be noted that the lower portion of the guide portion I3I of the liner I46 is not provided with a lower extended portion similar to the upper extended portion I and therefore a space indicated at I54 is provided between a boxed shuttle I6 and the inner surface of the lower planar portion I36 to thus prevent the filling yarn 20 from being caught between the inner surface of the shuttle box front' I25 and the proximate surface of the shuttle I6.

As in the originalform of the invention, the shuttle I6 need'not be provided with the usual shuttle groove through which thevweft yarn 20 usually'extends since the recess space I54 between shuttle I6 and shuttle box front I25 as well as the longitudinally extending groove I34 are provided for this purpose and the usual type of longitudinally extending shuttle groove would notberequired. i

Throughout' the specification and claimsthe terms inwardly and outwardlyfand rrearflor rearwardly and front or, forwardly "are used. The'm'eaning of these terms is commonly understood in weaving, i. e.,the inner end of the shuttle box is that portion disposed nearestthe selvage of' the fabric being woven and the outer end of the shuttle box is that end in which the picker comes to rest after boxing a shuttle. The inner surface of the shuttle box front would, of course, be that surface nearest the boxed shuttle and the frontsurface would be that surface nearest the front of the loom or at the side of the lay which is the forwardside upon a beat-up stroke thereof.- J, l Q

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved shuttle box front and an improved liner thereforwhich liner is cut away at the lower portion; thereof adjacent-the shuttle so that, upon the: shuttle being boxed and as the'shuttle leaves the shuttle box, the weft yarn may become slackenedi between the shuttle eye and the selvage of the:

' invention, and althoughspecific terms arev employed, they are used in aigeneric and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims'.- v

I claim: r

1. In a loom having a shuttle box and a shuttle adapted to be boxed in the shuttle box, an improved box front provided with a longitudinally extending thread slot extending from the inner end of the box front and disposed closely adjacent the lower edge of the shuttle box front and dividing the box front into upper and lower longitudinally extending portions, a liner suitably secured to the inner surface of the shuttle box front. said liner having a longitudinally extending upper portion whose lower surface conforms to the lower surface of the upper longitudinally extending portion of the shuttle box and extending throughout the length of the upper portion, the lower half of the liner extending over and covering less than one-half of the surface of the lower longitudinally extending portion of the box front, so that when a shuttle is boxed in the shuttle box, a space will be provided between the proximate lower surfaces of the shuttle and the lower portion of the shuttle box front to thus permit a weft yarn to sag intermediate its points of support and whereby upon the shuttle being thrown out of the box, the weft yarn -will not be caught between the shuttle and the proximate face of the shuttle box front.

2. A box front for looms adapted to, be socured to the top of the lay of a loom and having a slot extending from the inner end of the box front to a, point beyond the, medial portion of the box front, a liner secured to the inner face of the box front and being cut away at its lower portion, the lower wall of the liner conforming substantially to the upper wall of the longitudinally extending slot in the shuttle box, front and said liner covering less than one-half the surface of the lower portion of the box front.

3. In a loom having a lay and a shuttle box on the lay and also having a shuttle for carrying weft yarn, an improved shuttle box front having an opening intermediate the ends thereof and also having a longitudinally, extending slot therein communicating with said opening, said slot extending to and being open at the inner end of the box front, the vertical heightof said slot being substantially less than the vertical height of said opening and the slot and the opening dividing the shuttle box front into "an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion being substantially of the same vertical height throughout its length and the upper portion having its lower edge disposed at a lower elevation than the uppermost portion of the opening so that the lowermost portion of said slot will be disposed in the same plane as the lowermost portion of said opening, a liner adapte ed .to be'secured to the inner surface of said shuttle box front, said liner having a longitudinally extended upper portion conforming generally to the configuration of the upper portion of the shuttle boxfront and means for securing the liner to the inner surface of the shuttle box front, said liner having a lower extended portion of substantially shorter length than the upper extended portion.

4. In a loom having a lay and a shuttlebox on the lay and also having a shuttle for'carrying weft yarn, an improved shuttle box front having an opening'intermediate the'ends thereof and also having a, longitudinally extending slot therein communicating with said opening at .one end and'extending to the inner end of the-box front, the vertical height of said slot being substantially less than the vertical height of said opening and the slot and the opening dividing the shuteb x front an upp r re ti ii tim l e portion, the lower portion being substantially of the same vertical heightthroughout its length and the upper portion having its lower edge disposed at a lower elevation than the uppermost portion of the opening so that the lowermost portion of said slot will be disposed in thejsame plane as the'lowermost portion of said opening, a liner adapted to be secured to the inner surface of said shuttle box front, said liner having a longitudinally extended upper 'portion conforming generally tothe configuration of the upper portion of the shuttle box front, means for securing the liner to the shuttle box front, said liner having a lower extended portion of substan- 'tially shorter lengththan the upper Portion. the

inner surface of the lower-portion of the shuttle box front having a cavity therein into which the free end of the lower extended portion of the liner is adapted to be inserted and means securing the free end of the lower extendedportion of said liner in said cavity.

5. In a loom having a lay and a shuttle box on at least one end of said lay and a shuttle adapted to be boxed in the shuttle box and a weft yarn carried by said shuttle, an improved shuttle box front having a longitudinally extending slot therein closed at its end-nearest the outer end of the lay and open at the other end, said slot being disposed a substantial distance closer to the lower edge of said shuttle box front than to the upper edge thereof, a liner adapted to be secured to the inner surface of the Shuttle box front and extending throughout the length of that portion of the boxfront which'is disposed above said slot, the liner covering the entire upper inner surface of the box front, but extending over less than half the length of the lower portion of the box front. 7

WALTER REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,812,079 Burdett Juneeo, 1931 2,170,384 Lanier Aug. 22; 1939 2,310,369 Hicks Feb. 9, 1943 2,468,709 Budzyna i A-pr. 26, 19519 

